Bleeding Hearts
by ShimmeringCrimson
Summary: In a universe where demons roam freely, Vongola is the world's most exclusive exorcist organization. Sawada Takahiro is everything Vongola could want in an heir - he's charming, smart, and athletic. Sawada Tsunayoshi is his younger twin brother, who wants nothing more than to stay out of it. R27, Arco27, All27.
1. Prologue

"Watch out, Dame-Tsuna!"

The ten-year-old flinched as he was once again struck by a ball. The bright yellow object bounced off him, rolling away.

Tsuna hated Wednesdays.

"That's the third strike already, Sawada! You're out!" The coach called. He must have believed Tsuna to be deaf, because a moment later he muttered, "Why can't you be more like your brother for once?"

Wednesdays were Physical Training days for the young exorcists-in-training. As a student of the Vongola Academy, it was expected of them to be physically fit in case they encountered any demons. They had other required courses they had to take, such as Demonology and Banishing Spells. But on Wednesdays, the entire day was filled with activities like running, dodgeball, and karate. Many of the students loved these days.

Tsuna was not one of them.

Yes, Tsuna hated taking notes and being reminded of his stupidity in class, but training was always much worse. Taking tests never required any physical strength or stamina. Neither of which he had, by the way.

Tsuna dragged himself to the bench in relief. He plopped himself down, relishing in the diminishing ache in his non-existent muscles.

At least Takahiro wasn't in his class.

Sawada Takahiro was Tsuna's older twin brother by fourteen minutes. Not only was Takahiro the top student in all of his training classes, he was also considered a genius for his ability to get in the top five ratings for his tests. Because of this, he had been bumped up a grade, and even though it caused Tsuna's peers to have another thing to ridicule him with, he was thankful he didn't have to deal with Takahiro's hatred during school hours anymore.

Takahiro, or Taka for short, had clearly managed to snag the good genes. Taka was slightly taller than normal and he had blonde hair that matched their father's. He was considered handsome by the female population, to the point that Tsuna had once heard his dark brown eyes described as 'dreamy.' He had broad shoulders and his face was sharp and angular, almost aristocratic.

It was no wonder that Taka was well-liked by everyone in the school. This meant that people would usually follow Taka's lead. And since Taka clearly disliked his brother, everyone hated Tsuna. Taka had managed to become one of the most popular people in the school over the past few years, and it was partially because of how much better he looked when compared to his twin Dame-Tsuna.

"I wonder how Taka and Dame-Tsuna are even related, Taka is nothing like that loser!"

"Thank goodness Taka-kun is the heir, right? I couldn't imagine Dame-Tsuna in control of the Vongola!"

"Sawada-san really is cool, huh? Good thing he didn't turn out anything like Dame-Tsuna."

Tsuna heard variations of this daily. When he was younger it used to hurt him, but as the years went by he had eventually become numb to the insults.

"Alright, that's it for today! Good work!" the teacher said.

The bell rang, and Tsuna didn't hesitate in shouldering his bag and rushing out of the gym.

Although Tsuna dreaded going home, he wanted to get out of range of the bullies before they thought to come beat him up.

When he got away from the school, he lessened his pace to a slow trudge.

Tsuna knew that once he got home, his brother would immediately start degrading him. If he was in a particularly bad mood, he would probably start pushing him down and kicking and hitting him. Taka was violent and, even more frighteningly, unpredictable. If Tsuna was lucky, Taka would be in a good enough mood that he would ignore him.

The worst part was his mother didn't even care. Tsuna's only solace was that she didn't encourage it; she just didn't care one way or another.

Compared to Taka, he wasn't anything special.

Tsuna's hair was a plain brown and his eyes were the same, although they were lighter than Taka's. He was thin and petite where his brother was already gaining visible muscles. Tsuna's face was softer than his brother's and unfortunately Tsuna was overall more feminine when it came to structure. The only trait they had in common seemed to be their spiky hair, but even then Tsuna's was more limp than Taka's stick-straight hair.

Tsuna sighed, then stiffened at the quietness around him.

Usually the area would be filled with the noises of children playing and barking dogs, but right now it was eerily silent.

And, he realized as he glanced around him, his surrounding were completely unrecognizable.

Tsuna was officially lost.

Blinking away the tears that were threatening to blur his vision, Tsuna hesitantly kept moving in an attempt to find someone to help him.

As he passed by an alley, he heard some strange noises.

He slowed and peeked in, his face turning a bright red when he saw a couple making out.

The attractive woman was holding on to the man's suit, her head tilted back and soft moans escaping her mouth. The dark-haired man pushed back her dark curls back to access her mouth better, and Tsuna almost squeaked when he saw him hike up her skirt slightly.

He was about to quickly move along when the woman collapsed, the man dropping her body unceremoniously on the ground. A white wisp escaped his mouth, his tongue darting out to lick his lips.

Time seemed to slow down as the man raised his eyes to lock with Tsuna's.

Tsuna promptly fainted.

/

Reborn stared at the boy resting on his couch.

Normally Reborn would have erased the human's mind and been done with it, but this child had somehow managed to bypass the veil he had put up during his feeding. When their eyes had connected, Reborn could admit to have being shocked. For a moment, he could have sworn the boy's eyes had flashed orange.

He was interrupted from his thoughts when he heard the boy shifting.

Reborn watched as brown eyes slowly blinked open, and then the boy bolted straight up, clutching the blanket as if it would protect him.

"Hello," Reborn smirked as the frightened eyes focused on him.

"Y-you're a d-demon," the boy instantly accused. Reborn rolled his eyes.

"Fantastic deductive skills." The boy flushed pink before glancing around in confusion.

"W-why am I here?" he asked, fear seeming to fade slightly.

"Why not?"

Truthfully, Reborn didn't know the answer. When the boy had passed out, Reborn had been able to tell that no one who mattered would care if he disappeared. The boy's clothes were worn and faded, and his cheeks were thin from lack of food. He should have been a quick snack and then never remembered again.

The boy's ability had stopped him though, and looking at him now Reborn could tell that he wasn't even aware of his power.

"What is your name?" Reborn changed the subject.

"...Tsuna," the now-named Tsuna said warily. "W-what's yours?"

Reborn raised an eyebrow at the question. Normally humans would be screaming by now. Reborn's decision to take him wasn't wrong, then.

"It's Reborn, the Sun Arcobaleno."

The child's eyes widened in shock.

Demons had a certain hierarchy, sorted by their types. At the top was the strongest of their kind, the Arcobaleno.

The Sun types were mostly known for their healing abilities, although the higher ranking Sun demons were able to destroy entire cities in their annoyance. It said a lot that Reborn was their Arcobaleno.

Reborn's grin turned feral.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Tsuna."

* * *

 _aaand another khr fic lol but the ending was rushed sorry  
please review! i'd love to hear what you think_


	2. Fast Forward

Chapter One: Fast Forward

 _Five years later._

Tsuna sighed, pushing the food on his plate around with his fork. His brother was boasting about the demon he had managed to summon and exorcise today during class while their parents fawned over him. As expected, Taka had performed the most impressive exorcism in the class. Tsuna, on the other hand, had not even summoned a demon, much to the gleeful disgust of his peers.

Now that they were first years in Vongola's high school, they were required to take the practical course of exorcism. Unfortunately, since this was a new class for all the first years, Tsuna now had a class with Taka.

Tsuna was aware that he could have probably summoned a demon, but honestly? He found it a bit revolting to trick a demon into being called and then killing it. Of course, he was also biased on the matter of demons due to his past encounters with them.

"By the way, Taka," Iemitsu was saying. "We've got some new information on Riccardo."

Tsuna's fork stilled in his movements.

Since there were so many spies always trying to infiltrate the Vongola, using code words wasn't uncommon. Both Taka and Tsuna had been taught the various words in case of emergencies. Riccardo was the word used when demon hideouts were discussed.

"We found something?" Taka asked, eyes brightening. Taka always did like being kept in the loop; after all, it was proof of his importance in the organization.

"There have been a few sightings of Riccardo's brother smuggling in his friends," Iemitsu said, looking uncharacteristically serious. "Brother" was the word used for the Storm Arcobaleno, such as "cousin" was the Lightning Arcobaleno, "aunt" was the Rain Arcobaleno, and so on. Tsuna always had to muffle his laughter whenever the Sun Arcobaleno code came up. "We'll be investigating the area together next week on our vacation."

Taka's eyes sparked. "We?" he asked, voice barely containing his excitement.

Nana smiled at her favored son while Iemitsu beamed in pride. "We've decided that you're now old enough to start going on the field," Nana said, voice laced with fondness.

Taka's grin was blinding. Tsuna blocked out the smugness radiating from his twin, instead focusing on the information he had heard. He was mildly surprised and reluctantly impressed with Vongola's scouting abilities; tracking down the Storm Arcobaleno was no small feat. Tsuna knew for a fact that the demon was currently in Italy, which meant that the "vacation" they would be taking would take them to the European country.

"Oh, and Tsuna…" Tsuna's thoughts were broken as his name was called. His eyes shot up, startled, meeting his father's. "You'll be staying at our vacation house, okay? If you want to go explore the stores, you can go ahead, but stay close to the house."

Tsuna mumbled an affirmative answer, inwardly scowling. Their vacation house was as far from a vacation as possible. In reality, it was the Vongola's main headquarters. It always made Tsuna uncomfortable when they visited the mansion. There were always exorcists around him, giving him either looks of pity or discreet sneers of distaste. He would also probably run into the Vongola Ninth at some point, and while the aging man was kind to Tsuna, he nevertheless made him feel nervous, like his very soul was being examined.

He turned away from Taka's gloating smile, politely excusing himself from the table and making his way up the stairs to the privacy of his room. Closing the door, he flopped onto his bed and pulled out his phone.

 _Will be in Italy next week, but I'm worried about the weather. Hopefully there won't be any dark clouds around, it would be awful if there was a storm. Do you want me to bring you back a souvenir?_

A moment later and he received a reply.

 _Get me some high quality coffee beans._

Tsuna rolled his eyes. Typical.

/

A week later found Tsuna in a cozy Italian coffee shop. The cafe was warm and small, with only a few other customers there, making the setting peaceful. He sipped at the hot cocoa he ordered, adjusting the coffee beans he bought so that it was safely tucked in his bag.

The screeching of a chair informed him of someone sitting at his table.

"Yo, kora," a voice greeted. Tsuna's eyes looked up from his cup, focusing on the blond hair and wide grin.

"Colonello," Tsuna deadpanned. "What a coincidence."

"What's with that unenthusiastic reply, kora?!" Colonello placed a hand on his heart, looking mockingly heartbroken. Tsuna noticed the lack of army-looking clothing, taking note in the casual t-shirt and ripped jeans.

Tsuna's lips curved upward. "I'm kidding, Colonello." His eyes narrowed. "But really, what on earth do you think you're doing, strolling into Vongola territory so easily?!" his voice lowered into an exasperated whisper.

Colonello laughed and leaned forward to ruffle Tsuna's hair. "Chill out, kora," he said, looking amused when Tsuna flattened his hair in irritation. "I've got my veil on, no one is going to pay attention to us."

When Tsuna continued to look unimpressed, he scratched the back of his neck. "Also, Reborn told me to look after you, kora." He laughed nervously when Tsuna's gaze darkened.

Why did Reborn always treat him like a child?! Well, technically he supposed he was one, but still! It's not like he wasn't at least a little capable! There wouldn't be any demons suicidal enough to enter Vongola area (except Colonello, apparently) and ignore the Arcobaleno's claim at the same time!

Tsuna absentmindedly rubbed the ring on his finger at the mention of Reborn's gift. In the demon world, high-ranking demons had a symbol they used. When they placed a person under their protection, said person usually received an item with the symbol on it. Tsuna himself had gotten a simple black band with a white sun engraved on it. To attack someone with a symbol on them like that would be a direct declaration of war.

"Did he really." Tsuna's tone was completely flat.

"It's not my fault!" Colonello insisted. "Reborn threatened to shoot me back to the Rain Aiza if I didn't, kora!"

"I see." Tsuna nonchalantly placed down his cup. He looked up with a smile. "Well, I suppose I can't fault you for that."

The Rain Arcobaleno relaxed, breathing out a sigh of relief. He stiffened at the sound of Tsuna's next choice of topic.

"Lately I've been thinking about learning more self defense. Maybe next time I see Lal-san I'll ask her how to castrate someone." Tsuna turned innocent eyes to the blond.

Colonello shivered in fear. "Look at that time, kora!" he said suddenly, looking at the clock on the wall with exaggeratedly wide eyes. "Isn't it almost your curfew?"

Tsuna automatically glanced at the timepiece, cursing at the time.

"I'll walk you home!" Colonello offered a little _too_ eagerly.

"Sure," Tsuna smiled sweetly. Colonello's face lit up. "But since you're supposed to be guarding me, you'll have to walk at least ten feet away from me so it's not suspicious."

"Foiled again, kora," Colonello sighed.

Tsuna grinned, picking up his purchases. "So? Do you know what Fon is doing against the Vongola?"

"Hell if I know, kora," Colonello answered, still pouting slightly. "I think I heard him say something about turning the tables, though."

Tsuna's eyes gleamed in anticipation.

/

Tsuna could tell that something was wrong the moment he entered the building. There was a dark aura surrounding not only his brother but also his father and the rest of the exorcists in the room. Many had bandages wrapped around various parts of their bodies, and Taka had a few bandaids covering the cuts on his face.

Several exorcists looked up at the sound of Tsuna opening the door before looking away when they saw who it was.

He was tempted to ask what was wrong, but he already had a feeling of what happened.

"How did they know?!" Taka was saying. "There's no way they could have found out! It's impossible!"

"They set us up," one of the older exorcists said. "They fed us false information to lure us into a trap."

"No," Iemitsu's eyebrows were furrowed in frustrated thought. "No, that can't be right. We observed them for months, there's no way the Storm Arcobaleno would waste his time by going to that place so many times."

"Maybe they found out about our spies?" one offered. "Like they saw them and have been waiting for us to make our move?"

"The demons would have killed them sooner," Iemitsu dismissed the idea. "Or they would have relocated."

Tsuna was silent at the desperate conclusions flying between the exorcists. His mouth twitched and he covered it up by tilting his head down and readjusting the bag in his hand.

Taka looked furious but also thoughtful. "Could it be…" he hesitated.

All attention was on him. "What is it, Taka?" his father asked.

"I don't want to think of this possibility, but...could it be that we have a traitor?"

There was a thick silence as everyone processed what Taka had said. Personally, Tsuna thought it was an obvious conclusion, but clearly the exorcists thought no one would have the guts to betray them.

"No way…" one of the younger recruits breathed. "Who would do such a despicable thing?!"

"It is likely, now that I think about it," Iemitsu muttered. "Lately we have had more trouble with tricking the demons, almost as if they knew our plans."

Everyone in the room tensed, remembering a particularly violent raid that had gone wrong a few months ago. The Mist Arcobaleno had completely wiped out over half the forces that had been sent while only a few of his own had been damaged. Many had lost friends and even family from that battle.

"There's no use thinking about it right now," Iemitsu said abruptly. "Moving topics, I have something I need to announce."

Iemitsu sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as if he had a growing headache.

"Due to our recent failures, I've decided to get some help. Unfortunately, this help is not exactly preferred, but it's the best we have right now."

"What do you mean by 'not preferred?'" an exorcist with short brown hair spoke up.

Grimacing, Iemitsu answered, "We've enlisted the help of the demon Byakuran and his clan, the Gesso Family."

The doors behind Tsuna creaked open, revealing a smiling white-haired man with a curious tattoo framing the side of his face. Tsuna froze, recognizing the voice speaking almost directly in his ear. Looks of repulsion followed the cheerful demon.

"Hello everyone! From now on, we'll be working together, so let's get along!" His face broke out into a grin before popping a marshmallow into his mouth.

* * *

 _thanks for all the support, especially to everyone who reviewed!  
kudos to anyone who can guess what the code word for the Sun Arcobaleno is lol  
please review! B)_


	3. Reunion

They were staring at them. Tsuna could tell. Not that he blamed them, of course. He would probably stare too if he was in their position.

"Tsu-chan, do you want a marshmallow?" Byakuran asked sweetly.

"No." Tsuna's voice was completely casual, tinged with exasperation.

"Huh? How come? Marshmallows are the best!"

"I don't like them. They remind me of you."

"How mean!"

"Tsuna..." Iemitsu was staring at the scene in front of him. "Do you know this person?"

"We just met," Tsuna denied.

It had been three days since the announcement of Byakuran working with Vongola, and Tsuna was already regretting his birth. Byakuran had taken to popping into his personal space at random times, claiming that "Tsu-chan is the cutest person here, so let's play!" Whenever there was an exorcist around to witness this interaction, Byakuran spiced up his 'evil demon' act to make it seem like he just got pleasure from annoying Tsuna.

Since Byakuran didn't seem to be inclined to rat Tsuna out any time soon, Tsuna just played along as the weak brother of the heir.

Which brings us to the situation at hand.

"Then why are you sitting on his lap?"

"It's because Tsu-chan is cute!" Byakuran beamed, hugging Tsuna closer to his chest. His arms were wrapped tightly around Tsuna's waist and his chin rested on top of Tsuna's fluffy hair.

Tsuna was gleeful to note the dumbfounded look on Taka's face as he stared at Byakuran and him.

Iemitsu seemed to be too stunned to reply.

"Here, Tsu-chan," Byakuran said, holding a marshmallow near Tsuna's face. "Say 'ahh~!'"

Tsuna scowled, clamping his lips together.

"Now, Tsu-chan, don't be like that! Growing boys need their nutrients!"

"What kind of nutrient is that?!" Tsuna couldn't help asking. Byakuran took the opportunity to stuff the sticky white treat into Tsuna's mouth.

"The best kind!" Byakuran announced happily.

Tsuna made a face around the marshmallow.

In the background, he heard Taka choking.

Iemitsu cleared his throat after sending Byakuran a warning look, catching the attention of the distracted exorcists. "On to other matters, then." He shuffled some papers before finding the correct one. "From the raid earlier this week, we have lost eighteen exorcists and have twelve critically injured. Sightings of the Arcobaleno have increased rapidly over the past two years without an explanation. The Sun Arcobaleno, Reborn, aka the 'mother,' seems to be the most active despite the fact that it was difficult to even hear word of him a few years ago."

Tsuna had to stifle a snort when Iemitsu called Reborn 'mother.' Byakuran patted him on the head with a shark-like grin.

"Byakuran, as a demon, do you know of any explanations for their recent behavior?"

Byakuran tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Those guys have always been spontaneous. If I recall correctly, there has been a main rumor going around about them."

Tsuna glanced back sharply at the white-haired demon. Sure he wasn't going to-?!

"Apparently, they've all become fond of someone! Reborn, especially!" Byakuran clapped his hands together with a closed-eye smile.

He did! That-that _demon_!

"What do you mean by that?" Taka spoke up for the first time. "They've all started, what, courting some other demon?" Mutters of disbelief started up among the group.

"No, no, listen to this, little heir!" Byakuran's eyes gleamed and Tsuna felt his stomach drop. "The one they've been protective of is a human!" Immediately yells of denial came from the exorcists.

Meanwhile, Tsuna stomped harshly on Byakuran's foot. The demon's smile faltered and strained.

"A human?" The ruckus instantly quieted with the arrival of the Vongola Ninth. The old man stood at the entrance of the door, staring sharply at the only demon in the room. "How is that possible?"

"Who knows?" Byakuran sighed dramatically. "If only I could meet such a wondrous person, surely I too would surrender my heart to such a creature!"

Tsuna twitched.

A thoughtful look appeared across Timoteo's face. "It's possible...if the Arcobaleno seem to care as much about this human as they seem to, then if we find this person..." He trailed off.

"We could use them as leverage," Iemitsu realized. "If they're really human, then we might also be able to persuade them to join the Vongola. They could turn the entire direction of this fight."

' _And they call demons despicable_ ,' Tsuna internally sneered.

"Dad, where has the Sun Arcobaleno been visiting often lately?" Taka suddenly asked.

Iemitsu's eyes widened. "Japan."

"Meaning, that person is probably in Japan," Taka concluded triumphantly.

Tsuna wanted to combust. He did not need this kind of trouble in his life.

Byakuran rubbed his back soothingly. It might have been comforting if Tsuna hadn't felt the demon go a little lower and squeeze his butt.

/

Tsuna dropped his bag and bolted for his bed the moment they got home. It had been decided that Taka and Iemitsu (who had been given an extended 'vacation' that was really just an excuse for him to be there) would be leading the search for the person in Japan.

The irony of said person living right under their noses was not lost on Tsuna.

The only good thing about the entire situation was that Byakuran was still in Italy.

 _"_ _Tsu-chan," Byakuran sobbed, clutching to Tsuna as if he was a lifeline._ " _I'll miss you!"_

 _"_ _I won't," Tsuna smiled, patting the bruise on Byakuran's face from where he had taken revenge for the earlier grope. The white-haired demon winced._

 _"_ _So cruel! I love you, Tsu-chan!"_

 _The demon was still wailing as Tsuna boarded the plane. Needless to say, it brightened Tsuna's outlook for the rest of the day._

...Thank god he wasn't near that perving maniac anymore.

"Huh? What's this?" Tsuna stared at the white envelope resting in his suitcase.

He broke the seal on the flap, taking out the smooth paper. Tsuna instantly recognized the sharp demonic letters. It took a moment for Tsuna to translate the material.

 _'_ _Dear Tsunayoshi,_

 _Thank you for your help. Reborn tells me that you informed him the moment you found out about the raid. Thanks to you, my demons are still safe and we are now moving our trading port to a safer location in China._

 _Unfortunately, I was unable to tell you this in person. I admit that I was quite disappointed to find out that Colonello was able to meet with you while I was busy defending my area. Perhaps I will find the time to visit you sometime soon._

 _Sincerely,  
Fon'_

Tsuna smiled fondly. Of course Fon would go out of his way to send him a thank you card. Sighing, he regretfully opened his bedroom door and walked to the bathroom, locking the door behind him. He carefully ripped both the letter and the envelope before dropping the pieces into the toilet, flushing the evidence.

When he entered his room again, he saw he had a message on his phone.

 _Where's my souvenir?_

Tsuna snorted in amusement, grabbing the device and tapping out a reply.

 _I have it, I have it. Meet you at Takesushi?_

It took less than a minute for the response.

 _On my way._

Tsuna slipped the phone into his pocket, hurrying to put on a coat. He rushed downstairs and crammed his shoes on, calling out, "I'm leaving!"

He got a vague acknowledgement from his mother and that was all Tsuna needed to rush out the door.

One did not simply keep Reborn waiting.

He ran the entire distance from his house to the restaurant, panting when he finally reached his destination.

The bell on the door rang out when he opened the door, and he instantly zeroed in on the dark figure sitting in one of the booths.

He walked to the table, dropping the bag of Italian coffee beans in front of the man.

The man flicked his fedora up as Tsuna sat in the seat across from him. A smirk appeared on his face.

"Tsuna," he greeted, reaching out and ruffling his hair.

Tsuna scowled, holding his hands over his hair to protect it. "Why do you always mess up my hair even more so than it already is? Colonello does the same thing too, do you guys have some kind of fixation on it or something?"

Tsuna didn't noticed the man twitch at the mention of Colonello. "It's because you're so easy to mess with," he said instead.

Tsuna rolled his eyes, a fond smile forming despite the previous irritation.

"It's good to see you again, Reborn."

* * *

 _congrats to everyone who guessed the code name was mother!  
also the backstory for Byakuran and Tsuna will come a long way later in the story, along with the other Arcobaleno's meetings with Tsuna  
thanks to everyone who reviewed! it really encourages me to keep writing!  
review! (:_


	4. Fondness

"So? What have you been doing since I last saw you?" Tsuna asked around the sushi roll he had just stuffed in his mouth.

"Don't speak with your mouth full," Reborn reprimanded, flicking Tsuna's forehead. Once Tsuna had swallowed the food, Reborn leaned back and answered, "I've been sending my Sunbugs out to gather the positions of the guards around Namimori. It seems that Vongola is trying to outdo itself with the numbers they have surrounding the area. Want to fill me in on why?"

Tsuna's demeanor deflated to a sullen attitude. "Iemitsu and Takahiro are both 'visiting.' Byakuran told the Vongola that you guys have a relationship with a human."

Reborn's lips turned down in displeasure. "Byakuran's playing his games again."

"It would seem so." A forlorn sigh escaped Tsuna and the teenager dropped his head on to the table. "At least this time he's not actively involving himself like he used to."

Face twisting into a grimace, Reborn took a sip of his drink – espresso – to ease his agitation. Reborn had never been fond of the albino, especially after the disaster that had happened after Tsuna and Byakuran met. The demon had mellowed out since that time, but he was still unpredictable and had a tendency to irritate everyone around him. Just thinking about what the shifty fox was planning gave Reborn a headache.

"That's something to give hope to at least."

The human boy stared sadly at his empty plate for a moment before something he had forgotten came to his mind. "By the way, Fon says he might be visiting soon."

A small amount of irritation filled Reborn at the mention of the calm demon. He had been hoping to spend some time with Tsuna alone after the month they had been apart (what with Reborn having a mission in North America and Tsuna leaving for Italy right before Reborn got back), but the Storm Arcobaleno visiting would foil that plan.

Although Tsuna wasn't aware of it, the entire Arcobaleno force had grown fond of the human.

A little too fond, if you were to ask Reborn.

Somehow the boy had managed to wiggle himself into the hearts of the most dangerous creatures in the world. Reborn himself had recognized the warmth he felt when Tsuna was only thirteen. To demons, age didn't really matter since the powerful ones were practically immortal and would probably be decades or even centuries older than their chosen partners. Higher ranked demons had extreme grow spurts once they reached their first decade too; in a matter of months, the ten year old demon's appearance would change from that of a toddler to a teenager depending on their type.

With Tsuna, it was different. Tsuna was a human, and humans grew much more slowly than demons did. There had been a silent agreement among the Arcobaleno that they wouldn't start to court Tsuna until he was at least sixteen.

Even though Tsuna's birthday wasn't for another few weeks, over the past few months the others had begun to start lowering their walls and push a little more. Fon (the bastard) had grown extremely touchy-feely lately, always tracing the side of Tsuna's face and wiping the smudges of the sweet Tsuna had been eating off of the boy's face. Mammon had taken to sending extravagant gifts, filled with nice clothes and expensive chocolates. Even the lackey, Skull, had brought Tsuna a bouquet of flowers with a red face and a stutter. Needless to say, Reborn had exacted his revenge against the weakest member of the group.

The worst part of it all was that Tsuna didn't even understand the meaning behind it all. He would just stare bemusedly at them or give them one of his cheery, thankful smiles.

"Really." Reborn's voice reflected his mood.

"Uh huh," Tsuna said, not noticing Reborn's foul mood. He was fiddling with something in his pocket before his hand stilled and Tsuna looked up with an innocent smile.

"Hey, Reborn," he said suddenly, a gleam entering his eye. "Try this for me and tell me how it is." Before Reborn could react, Tsuna stuffed a chocolate ball into the older man's mouth. Reborn automatically made a disgusted face, clearly not enjoying the sweet.

A dark aura enveloped him. "I'll kill you."

Tsuna laughed nervously. "Calm down, Reborn, it was just a joke. You've been so serious this whole time that I thought you needed a break." He eyed Reborn's twitching hands.

Reborn's shadow flickered and his mouth opened, but before any words could come out, Tsuna's phone started ringing.

It was probably the only time Tsuna has been happy that his father was calling him.

"Hello?"

" _Tsuna, where are you? You know you're not supposed to go out without a bodyguard,"_ Iemitsu's voice came out of the phone. Reborn's sensitive ears allowed him to hear the conversation going on.

Tsuna couldn't stop himself from scowling. Demon activity had been spiking recently and apparently the "weakest" link to the Vongola family needed protection whenever he went somewhere.

"I just went out to get something to eat," Tsuna protested.

 _"_ _That's not an excuse. You know how dangerous it is to be out at a time like this! Because of this, you're grounded. Come home immediately."_

Iemitsu hung up before Tsuna could reply. Scowling, he stood up. "That's my cue."

Reborn's anger had redirected itself towards Iemitsu. "I can't wait for the day when he dies."

The brunette sighed. "I'm sorry he interrupted our lunch. I'll make it up to you later, Reborn."

Reborn's mind instantly conjured several ways Tsuna could _make it up_ to him before he banished the thoughts. "It's fine, it's not your fault after all."

A smile appeared on Tsuna's face. "Still, I'd like to do something with you again soon." He reached over to give the Sun demon a hug. "I really missed you."

Reborn tilted his hat to hide the pink dusting his cheeks. "As did I. Now get going, I don't want you getting into more trouble than you already have."

Rolling his eyes, Tsuna gave a farewell to the demon before exiting the restaurant.

/

"Your actions today were completely reckless!"

Tsuna was sitting at a table while Iemitsu ranted at him. Nana stood next to her husband, looking firm and nodding along to Iemitsu's anger. Taka had been smirking the entire time he was being yelled at.

"I'm sure that the sushi would have definitely mutilated me if you hadn't told me to come home when you did," Tsuna said before he could stop himself.

Nana gasped and Iemitsu's face went white with rage. "Tsunayoshi Sawada, you do not speak to your father like that! You know very well how dangerous it can be for someone as vulnerable as you! Maybe if you were a little more like your brother we could trust you to protect yourself, but you're unable to even defend yourself in exercises against the weak, summoned demons at school!"

Tsuna squashed down the retort that he didn't see what the point of killing scared and basically harmless demons was.

"I've put up with this behavior for years now but I refuse to do so anymore. Like it or not, you will eventually have to become an exorcist. Until I start to see improvement, you're not allowed to leave the house for anything other than school."

The doorbell rang. Nana went to get it while Iemitsu continued to look Tsuna dead in the eye.

"That must him," Iemitsu said.

Tsuna's forehead crinkled with confusion. "Must be who?"

A silver-haired teenager stepped into the room, following Nana.

"Tsuna, this is Hayato Gokudera. From now on, he will be your bodyguard and tutor."

/

"The game is moving forward."

A man with white hair sat alone, pictures scattered all around him.

"I wonder how Tsunayoshi will change?" he wondered to himself, placing a checkered mask on the floor.

"After all..." The man picked up one of the pictures. In it was a recent image of Tsuna, caught in mid-laugh. If one noticed the rest of the picture, they would notice that they all contained the same boy at different ages and in various places. Delicately, he traced the soft-looking face with an undecipherable look.

"He is such an interesting child."

* * *

 _guys 350 follows is insane this is literally not that great i don't even know where i'm going with it. even though i say that, i'm really happy that so many people are enjoying my story! thanks so much to all of you, especially those who gave me feedback!  
and ohoho, Checkerface/Kawahira AND Gokudera have entered the game, what could happen? why is Checkerface so interested in Tsuna? (hint: it's not because of his involvement with the Arcobaleno)  
please tell me what you thought! i'd love to hear any advice, ideas, or theories!_


	5. First Courting

" _Ugh_ ," Tenth's brother sighed dramatically for what had to be the twelfth time in half as many minutes. Hayato could tell that the weakling was pleased to see his ire. It had only been a week since he had been grounded, and the brat had already made it his life's mission to irritate Hayato as much as possible. The back-up heir was currently draped over his bed, head hanging over the side and a book in his loose grip. Hayato was standing rigidly by the door, determinedly staring at the wall.

Another sigh escaped the heir's brother. Hayato twitched. "What?" he finally snapped.

"I'm bored," the wimp whined pathetically.

Hayato rolled his eyes. "Then you should complete your homework," he replied, barely managing to keep back a snarl.

When Hayato had been requested by the famous Iemitsu Sawada to guard and tutor his second son, he had been honored. Takahiro, the heir to Vongola, was known for his incredible skill and natural abilities, and although there wasn't much information on his brother, it was expected of him to become an exorcist as well. Hayato had imagined someone determined to help the world like his brother was, someone dedicated to Vongola and helping Takahiro any way he could.

So when he arrived to find a spoiled, weak brat, to say he was disappointed would be an understatement. Tsunayoshi Sawada was unmotivated, lazy, and spoiled. Any attempt Hayato made at teaching the twin of Takahiro was either ignored or flew over the brat's head. He spent most of the day complaining about his grounding, intentionally acting like it wasn't his own fault for being reckless and inadequate. Hayato couldn't help but compare him to Takahiro; the heir was often seen diligently practicing exorcism chants and hand-to-hand combat. Looking at Tsunayoshi, it wasn't hard to understand the disappointment Hayato had seen in Iemitsu's eyes.

What angered Hayato the most was the fact that the ungrateful brat didn't even care. The youngest Sawada was clearly cared for his entire life; the expensive electronics in his room and the fashionable clothing he wore made that clear. Obviously his parents cared about him if they hired a bodyguard to protect him, and yet the boy brushed off their concern and refused to learn from his mistakes.

For Hayato, who was the bastard spawn of a demon and a high-ranking man, it was unforgivable. Hayato had never had the luxury of being genuinely cared for, no matter how hard he trained and studied. To see this egotistic brat achieve his locked-away wish without any effort was a harsh blow.

Tsunayoshi pouted. He sat up from his hanging position, turning to face Hayato properly and crossing his legs. Hayato was startled to see the weak-willed boy stare at him intensely for a moment before turning his gaze to the window.

"Gokudera-san, was it your mother or father?" he asked casually.

Hayato froze in shock. "Excuse me?" he refrained from hissing.

The wimp was apparently oblivious to the tension. "Your mother or your father, which one of them was a demon?"

The half-demon narrowed his eyes. Was the brat mocking him? It was common knowledge that his mother had been a demon. "My mother," he answered stiffly.

"I see." He was still staring out the window. "She wouldn't happen to have been a Storm demon, would she?"

"What exactly are you playing at?" Hayato scowled darkly, fists clenching.

"…It's nothing," the weakling chirped, turning his head from the window and giving Hayato a smile so shiny that it momentarily stunned him.

Then he pulled his blanket over his body and laid his head down so that it was facing the wall. "I think I'm going to tuck in early, Gokudera-san! Goodnight!"

"Goodnight?!" Hayato squawked disbelievingly. "It's only seven!" Not only that, but the boy was still in his normal clothes! Wasn't he going to put on pajamas or something?!

His protests were ignored as the second heir's breathing evened out despite the light still being on. Hayato stared blankly for a moment before he resignedly turned the light off and shut the door, locking it from the outside as he had been instructed to do during the night.

This job was turning out to be more troublesome than it was worth.

/

From outside Tsunayoshi's window, a figure watched the 'slumbering' boy. A small smile twitched at his lips as he shook his head in fond exasperation. The human was once again playing tricks.

He easily unlocked the window from the outside, pushing it open and quietly slipping inside the boy's room. He walked to Tsunayoshi's bed, a warm smile gracing his face as he examined the soft features. "Tsunayoshi," he murmured, letting him know of his presence.

He was caught off guard when a hand tugged at his arm, pulling him down on the bed. The demon allowed Tsuna to swing his body over him, the small boy beaming at the man.

"Haven't I told you to call me Tsuna?" he pouted. "Fon." Fon shivered, attempting to mask his blush by coughing lightly.

"I apologize." Tsuna still wouldn't move. Fon tried to ignore the weight on his stomach as he said, sighing, "Tsuna."

Tsuna grinned, jumping up from the bed and flattening out the wrinkles in his clothes. "It's been a while, Fon!" The Storm Arcobaleno felt warmth flow through him at the smile directed at him. He stood up, looking down at the fluffy head of hair.

Fon returned the exclamation with a tender smile. "It is nice to see you as well. I heard you have been put under house arrest?" He couldn't help the vague amusement and irritation at the concept.

Tsuna scowled. "Yeah, Iemitsu's only let me out for school. It's so unfair! I had only went out to eat with Reborn. Well, he doesn't know Reborn was there, so that makes it even more unfair."

Fon chuckled lightly at the child-like behavior. "I see, so it was Reborn's fault?" It was nice to see Tsuna acting his age a little, even if his immaturity at the situation was understandable. "Then I suppose you wouldn't mind if I kidnapped you for a little while?"

The teenager's face lit up. "Ah, hold on a second." Fon watched as Tsuna squished a few pillows under his blanket, arranging them to fit his body structure. Once he approved the fake-Tsuna as passable, he turned to the demon with a smile.

Fon held out his hand, fondness welling inside him again when Tsuna took it without hesitation. The Storm demon adjusted the human so that Tsuna's head was pressed against Fon's chest. He stepped up on the large windowsill, relishing the October breeze that engulfed them. Tsuna buried his head farther into Fon, shivering as he peeked down from the third-story house. Fon stepped off, causing Tsuna's fingers to tighten in the demon's shirt.

They fell gracefully, Fon keeping Tsuna steady as they landed softly on the ground. The human let go of his savior, beaming at his newfound freedom. The demon stared at him as if he were contemplating something. "Tsuna, I want to ask you something."

"Huh?" Interest peaked, Tsuna looked up at Fon with a curious expression. "What is it?"

Fon smiled. "This way," he said instead of answering.

The Storm Arcobaleno slipped his hand into Tsuna's, tugging him in the direction he wanted to go. Tsuna blinked but let himself be taken by the demon, curiosity increasing when they moved farther away from the populated town and into a quieter area.

His eyes turned to the peaceful space, aware that they had arrived quicker than humanly possible, despite the normal pace it had felt like to him. The place they were in turned out to be a clearing in a wooded area. The cloudy night sky relaxed him, causing him to relax even further.

"Tsuna." Brown eyes met the speaker's, tilting his head in question. Fon sighed, struggling to get the words out. "I'm not really supposed to be asking this right now."

Tsuna's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You're an incredible person, Tsunayoshi Sawada. It's only natural that I've grown fonder of you than I should have." At Tsuna's oblivious look, Fon continued. "You're hopelessly kind and forgiving. Despite any differences, you accept people for who they are." Fon's eyes softened. "What I mean to say is…Tsunayoshi, I've fallen for you."

Tsuna's eyes widened in shock as Fon gazed back at him seriously.

"Will you allow me to court you?"

/

Gokudera stared at the uncovered empty bed in horror. His body began to subtly shake.

"I'm going to kill him," he whispered in a deadly tone.

* * *

 _lol cliffhanger  
Gokudera will eventually begin to like Tsuna as more than a friend for the several people who were concerned about that  
it was great reading everyone's ideas and thoughts! guys 600+ follows is insane, honestly it's hard to believe, thank you so much!  
please tell me what you thought (:_


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